Thursday 9 June 2016

Rainbow Rose QAL Week 2

This week's assignment in the Modern Quilters Ireland quilt-along was to cut the background fabric and put together middle blocks. Reading Ruth's wonderfully detailed instructions about the color choices and the piecing process, I realized I have to finalize my fabric selection to make sure all the transitions were as smooth as possible, all things considered. To help me keep track of everything I made a sketch of the block...

Rainbow rose block sketch

And then glued to it little pieces of the fabrics I intend to use for each part.

Rainbow rose QAL fabric choices

In addition to the color gradient explained by Ruth, I put myself an additional challenge of a value gradient, which proved more difficult. The most problematic zone is yellow: although I have a few yellows  to choose from, they are all more or less the same value, because it's light color by definition, it's impossible to have a dark yellow, so creating a pronounced value gradient is tricky. I divided the block into 4 "belts" of different value levels: the innermost square is shaded (color plus a bit of black), the next is pure colors (the way you find them in a paint box), the next is tinted with a bit of white, and the final - with more white. The last one was the most difficult to find, as it turned out I don't have enough pastel colors, so I had to use the wrong side of fabrics a lot.

This little mock-up also helped solve the background dilemma: the outermost fabrics are about the same value as the light grey I was considering as an option, so it had to go and the white came out as an undisputed winner.

The background cutting was swift and uneventful)). Cutting triangles rather than squares was a bit trickier but still manageable. Here are my finished middles:

Rainbow rose QAL Week 2

Don't you think they make a kind of nice block on their own ;))? 


Linking to the Fabric Thread and Yarn link-up

13 comments:

  1. Smart to take the time to do the mock up. So many different colors with the scrappy look could be trouble but the way you have it looks really good!

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    1. Yes, that's exactly why i decided to do the mock up - as we are not moving color by color but doing parts that lie apart from each other, I had to make sure i would be able to connect them.

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  2. The mock up with the fabric swatches is a great idea. You have some really interesting fabrics in your blocks.

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    1. Thank you Lisa. My fabrics come from many different places, many bought on sale, so provably long out of production))

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  3. Your color and value selections are really excellent Olena! I love your idea of using the wrong side of the fabric to get a lighter value. A very smart way to test out your fabrics!

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    1. Thanks Lara, I fins that sometimes the wrong side is more interesting than the right ;)

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  4. That is planning! I admire your dedication. And I agree with Lara. Your yellows look good to me :-)
    I also use the wrong side of fabric, when recycling clothes, but to have darker colors as with time the out side of clothes get lighter.
    I'm looking forward to seeing more of this project.
    Thank you for participating to my Fabric, Thread and Yarn link party. Have a good weekend!

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    1. Thanks France! The project is intended to last over a month, so it makes sense to make notes to remember what goes where.

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  5. These blocks have come up so well Lena! I too had to get a sketch book out but it was certainly no way near as detailed as yours. I found not knowing exactly which fabrics I was going to use really daunting and love your way of dealing with that.

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  6. Brilliant effect with the value changes as well as colour changes! You are right the centres like that make a really pretty block!

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  7. The middles definitely make a nice block on their own!

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  8. Your colour is super. Very neat finish too!

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